Buhari Resumes, Forwards Letter of Resumption To NASS

Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s broadcast on Monday, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said the president has written to the two Chambers of the National Assembly to intimate the federal lawmakers on his resumption to carry out presidential duties after an extended medical vacation in London.

Mr. Femi Adesina, who has also made known the fact that in light of any other health challenges, the president may leave for another medical check-up.

Adesina said the communication was in line with constitutional provision that requires Buhari to notify the lawmakers of his return and once it is sent, the President can resume office. He disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Monday :

“In compliance with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I write to intimate that I have resumed my functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from Monday, 21st August, 2017, after my medical follow-up in the United Kingdom,” he quoted Buhari as stating in the letter dated August 21. .

A presidency source who spoke to State House correspondents said the president who returned to the country on Saturday is reported to be working from his official residence, and not his office, for now and attributed the development to ongoing renovation in the President’s office and did not sayb say how long the said renovation would last.

Adesina later told reporters that the letter to the National Assembly was dispatched at few minutes after 11am.

“Yes, some few minutes past 11, the President signed the letter notifying the National Assembly of his resumption. A copy has been sent to the Senate President and a copy has been sent to the Speaker, House of Representatives, so the President has resumed,” he said.

The presidential spokesman said, “it means the President they voted into office, who has been serving them and who was indisposed for some time and who came back on Saturday, is ready to continue with the work he has been doing.”

On comments by Nigerians who said the President’s broadcast was not explicit enough, he said, “that broadcast was just one step of many steps that are going to be taken in the days and weeks and months ahead so you can’t expect that everything will be said in one day.”